The invention relates to dual vial adapter assemblages for use with a drug vial containing a medicament and a liquid vial containing liquid contents for forming a liquid drug from the medicament in the drug vial.
Commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,558,365 to Zinger et al. entitled Fluid Transfer Device discloses a dual vial adapter assemblage hereinafter referred to as the Zinger assemblage for use with a drug vial containing a medicament and a liquid vial containing liquid contents for forming a liquid drug from the medicament in the drug vial. The liquid contents can be diluent only or include an active component. The Zinger assemblage is commercially available from West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc., Exton, USA under the registered trademark MIX2VIAL. The Zinger assemblage includes a drug vial adapter for telescopic mounting on a drug vial and a liquid vial adapter for telescopic mounting on a liquid vial. The drug vial adapter has an integral drug vial stopper puncturing cannula for puncturing a drug vial stopper and a female connector in flow communication therewith. The liquid vial adapter has an integral liquid vial stopper puncturing cannula and a male connector in flow communication therewith. The female connector is preferably a Luer female connector and the male connector is preferably a Luer lock connector for an initial sealed releasable inter-engagement on the Luer female connector.
The Zinger assemblage is designed to be employed for use with a drug vial under negative pressure for drawing liquid contents from a liquid vial in an initial sealed inter-engagement of the drug vial adapter and the liquid vial adapter. Accordingly, the Zinger assemblage is necessarily initially telescopically mounted on a liquid vial and on inversion subsequently telescopically mounted on a negative pressure drug vial. Pursuant to forming a liquid drug in the drug vial and detachment of the liquid vial adapter from the drug vial adapter, the entire liquid drug contents are typically completely aspirated into an initially empty needleless syringe for administration purposes.
Commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 8,752,598 to Denenburg et al. entitled Liquid Drug Transfer Assembly discloses a dual vial adapter assemblage hereinafter referred to as the Denenburg assemblage. The Denenburg assemblage is similar in construction and operation as the Zinger assemblage but is designed to be used for larger liquid drug volumes. U.S. Pat. No. 8,752,598 FIGS. 7 to 9 show the Denenburg assemblage includes a liquid vial adapter with an integral dual lumen dual ended spike having a liquid vial stopper puncturing cannula and a drug vial stopper puncturing cannula oppositely directed to its liquid vial stopper puncturing cannula and a drug vial stopper puncturing cannula oppositely directed to its liquid vial stopper puncturing cannula. Also, the drug vial adapter includes a female connector and an oppositely directed drug vial adapter sleeve in flow communication therewith. The Denenburg assemblage employs gravitational flow from a liquid vial to a drug vial and therefore requires an initial telescopic mounting on a drug vial and a subsequent telescopic mounting on a liquid vial to avoid spillage from the liquid vial. U.S. Pat. No. 8,752,598 FIGS. 10A to 10G show the use of the Denenburg assemblage for forming liquid drug contents sufficient for aspiration of several liquid drug dosages for staggered administration to a patient.
Both the Zinger assemblage and particularly the Denenburg assemblage because of its intended use for forming larger liquid drug volumes can be optionally employed for an administration protocol to a patient including: First, initial aspiration of some liquid drug contents from a drug vial to an initially empty needleless syringe for immediate administration to a patient, thereby leaving a liquid drug remainder in the drug vial. And second, subsequent administration of the liquid drug remainder by removal of the drug vial adapter from the drug vial to expose its drug vial stopper and forced insertion of an infusion set's IV spike through the drug vial stopper for prolonged gravitational infusion flow to the patient. However, detachment of a drug vial adapter from a drug vial is dexterously difficult particularly in the case a drug vial adapter is telescopically snap fit mounted on a drug vial and a healthcare provider typically has gloved hands. Moreover, a healthcare giver may inadvertently detach a liquid vial adapter from a drug vial adapter before initial aspiration of some liquid drug contents in contradistinction to the administration protocol.